Going Digital: Apps for Ironsworn and Starforged
The Ironsworn community has built an astounding ecosystem of digital and virtual tabletop tools. In fact, I'd go as far to say that there are very few indie tabletop RPGs with the same level of online support. Whether you want a full virtual tabletop experience or a complementary app to help manage a few aspects of your session, you've got lots of choices.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the best tools available to help you bring your sworn quests to life in the digital realm. With one exception, they are all entirely free!
Note that I encourage the use of digital tools which support your creativity—rather than replacing it. The apps detailed below do not use generative AI.
Iron Journal / Stargazer
Developers: Nick Boughton
Supported Content: Ironsworn, Delve, Starforged
Supported Modes: Solo
Iron Journal and Stargazer are web-based apps for Ironsworn and Starforged (respectively). These apps contains everything you need to manage your character, roll moves and oracles, and track your adventures.
Both versions are completely free and offer a fantastic mobile-friendly experience. Take your quests on the go!
One thing to keep in mind: Iron Journal and Stargazer don't require user accounts or store your data in the cloud. Instead, they store your campaign locally in your browser. These are progressive web applications, and can be used through their respective websites or installed on your computer or phone as a standalone application. There are built-in functions to save your data for backup or for loading on a different device.
Learn more:
- Iron Journal (Ironsworn): https://nboughton.uk/apps/ironsworn-campaign/
- Iron Journal 2 (Ironsworn - in open beta): https://nboughton.uk/apps/iron-journal
- Stargazer (Starforged): https://nboughton.uk/apps/stargazer/
- Download the desktop builds directly: https://nboughton.uk/apps/
Roll20 VTT
Developers: Ayethin
Supported Content: Ironsworn, Delve, Starforged
Supported Modes: Solo, Co-Op, Guided
Roll20 is one of the most popular and well-known virtual tabletops. To play Ironsworn or Starforged on Roll20, you'll need to create an account. A basic account is free, and provides everything you need. Then, select "Create New Game" and search for Ironsworn or Starforged in the character sheet menu.
The Roll20 sheets are rich with content and features, so take some time to explore. You can also check out a tutorial video by Doycetopian Wasteland for the Ironsworn module.
Learn more: https://app.roll20.net/
Iron Fellowship / Crew Link / Iron Link
Developers: Scott Benton
Supported Content: Ironsworn, Delve, Starforged, Sundered Isles
Supported Modes: Solo, Co-Op
Whether you are playing solo or with others, Iron Fellowship and Crew Link are companion web apps that keep your Ironsworn and Starforged games in sync across devices. You can also share your worlds, maps, and NPCs across all of your games, making it easy to stay organized. These apps even offer a flexible system for adding your own homebrew content.
Currently in beta, Iron Link is a comprehensive app that supports Ironsworn, Delve, Starforged, and Sundered Isles. It builds upon the foundations of Iron Fellowship and Crew Link with a focus on improving writing or note taking in your game. It introduces shared notes that the whole party can edit in real time, support for embedding images, and the ability to insert roll results directly into your session logs.
Learn more:
- Iron fellowship (Ironsworn): https://iron-fellowship.scottbenton.dev/
- Crew Link (Starforged): https://starforged-crew-link.scottbenton.dev/
- Iron Link (combo app - in beta): https://iron-link.com/
Pocketforge
Developers: Martin (Rock Paper Story)
Supported Content: Ironsworn, Delve, Starforged, Sundered Isles
Supported Modes: Solo
Pocketforge is an all-in-in one app that supports campaigns with Ironsworn, Starforged and Sundered Isles. When starting up a campaign, you set your default theme and pick preferred character ruleset. Then, within a campaign, you can generate oracle prompts from any of the default settings.
Built as a progressive web app, you can install Pocketforge on any browser-enabled device and play offline. All data is stored in your browser. If you want to switch devices, export your campaign on one device and import it on another. Additionally, you can download your journal as a styled HTML file ready for print.
Learn more: https://rockpaperstory.com/pocketforge/
Foundry VTT
Developers: Ben Straub, rsek
Supported Content: Ironsworn, Delve, Starforged, Sundered Isles
Supported Modes: Solo, Co-Op, Guided
Foundry Virtual Tabletop is software that supports a wide array of games and offers powerful tools for customization. The app supports Windows, Mac, and Linux and allows you to self-host a game server that players connect to for free directly through a web browser. Foundry is sold on a pay-once, use forever basis (presently $50 US), but the Ironsworn/Starforged module is free.
The Foundry VTT implementation of Ironsworn and Starforged has everything you need for your campaign, whether you're playing solo, guided, or co-op. A smooth UI helps you manage your assets and progress tracks, and all the moves and oracles are right at hand. The Foundry ecosystem also has extension modules, including the Ironsmith and Starsmith expansions by Eric Bright.
Learn more:
- Foundry homepage: https://foundryvtt.com
- Ironsworn/Starforged Modules: https://foundryvtt.com/packages/foundry-ironsworn
Iron Vault
Developers: Kat Marchán, Chris Wegrzyn
Supported Content: Ironsworn, Delve, Starforged, Sundered Isles
Supported Modes: Solo, Co-Op
Iron Vault is a plugin for Obsidian that turns the beloved note-taking/journaling tool into a full-fledged Virtual Tabletop for the Ironsworn/Starforged family of games.
It includes a full character sheet, built-in commands for making moves, and elegantly-styled content blocks for rending the results of dice rolls in your journal. You can even house multiple campaigns in the same vault!
For Obsidian power users, the plugin is highly customizable, supports synced content among multiple players, and can integrate homebrew content through plain text files.
Learn more: https://ironvault.quest
Starforged Crew Sheet
Developers: Jade Ravens
Supported Content: Starforged
Supported Modes: Solo, Co-Op, Guided
The Starforged Crew Sheet is a playkit and character keeper for Starforged. It supports up to 8 players collaborating in Google Sheets, and includes the full set of Starforged character assets, shared progress trackers, quick references for oracles and moves, and much more.
Learn more: https://jaderavens.itch.io/starforged-crew-sheet
Chartopia
Developers: Glen McCord, Olga (Dodecahedron Developments)
Supported Content: Ironsworn (with some content from other titles)
Chartopia is a handy online tool for generating random characters, events, locations, and much more. It contains a wealth of random tables from various systems, including the full suite of Ironsworn tables (and a smattering of tables from other Ironsworn games).
Learn more: https://chartopia.d12dev.com
Asset Workbench
Developers: Effortlessmountain, web-lux, elodie-28
The Asset Workbench tools for Ironsworn and Starforged make it easy to design your own custom asset cards in the same style as the official game materials. Whether you’re expanding the game with fresh ideas or tailoring an existing asset for your character, these Workbenches gives you a fast, slick way to bring your creations to life.
Learn more:
Datasworn and Dataforged: The Engines That Make it Possible
Developers: rsek
Supported Content: Ironsworn, Starforged
The biggest challenge with creating or maintaining a digital app for the Ironsworn family of games is the sheer amount of data. Think of it: dozens of moves; hundreds of asset abilities; thousands of oracle prompts. All complicated by my open development process and the fact that this content changed (sometimes dramatically!) through the playtest and preview phases of a project.
The solution? The Ironsworn and Starforged data repositories. These invaluable resources provide organized reference data (in JSON format) for others to incorporate into their own tools. These repositories includes assets, moves, oracles, and more.
The catch? There isn't one. DataForged is licensed under an open Creative Commons license, allowing anyone to build their own tools or create their own games using Ironsworn and Starforged moves, assets, oracles, or any other elements of the repository.
Learn more:
- Datasworn (data for Ironsworn): https://github.com/rsek/datasworn
- Dataforged (data repo for Starforged): https://github.com/rsek/dataforged
Keeping it Real: Escaping the Digital Realm
Of course, let's not forget the simple pleasures of physical dice, a well-loved rulebook, a worn character sheet, and scribbled notes in a journal. Sometimes it's good to take a break from the digital devices that are so pervasive in every other aspect of our lives.
Check out the downloads page for a vast array of free print-and-play PDF files, including reference sheets, character sheets, asset cards, and more. Plus, physical books such as the Starforged Reference Guide and the Ironsworn Lodestar Expanded Reference Guide are optimized for a table-friendly experience.
Have Questions?
If you have questions about playing using a VTT or app for the Ironsworn family of games, or are developing your own app, please consider joining the official Ironsworn Discord community. We have dedicated discussion channels for most of the tools reviewed in this article.
Whatever path you take, have fun!